How much can one woman take?! Like, seriously, how much can one person be expected to take without completely falling apart…? I’m at my limit these days. I know that in my personal life and on my personal Facebook, all I talk about is working constantly. I’m boring and redundant, and I’m sure half of my “friends” have unfollowed me, but outside of work, I really have nothing. My kids are teenagers doing their own thing, and with work, I barely see them. I seem to be short on friends these days, and of course, always heavy in heartache. Why? Because I always give too much of myself to others.

We live in a day and age where dating is a difficult concept. We sleep with people we’re not committed to. We give our hearts away to people that don’t really want to receive them. We get close, spend time, put our hearts and souls into, and even fall in love with people we’re not even in a relationship with. Sex is free and easy and means nothing anymore. So many men want to spout off about how they’re not ready for a relationship, but they want the sex, the loyalty, the commitment, the support, the cheerleading, to be paid attention to, and everything else from a woman. They don’t want to give a title or their own commitment, but they expect it all.

As I’m working 6 to 7 days a week, and feeling incredibly lonely, I can’t help but see how I’ve let myself get used. I’m all too often the stepping stone woman. I am a nurturer and a lover and make it so damn easy for men to cling to…while they just need me to get better. I get wrapped up in my feelings and thinking that we’re on the same page, only to end up devastated later.

I have so much to give, and I give it freely. Unfortunately, the wrong ones take it. When is it my turn? When is it my turn to be cared for, to be appreciated, to be loved…? I really just want it to be my turn to be the one receiving all of a pure heart. I want a man to look at me with love in his eyes, the same love that I feel for him. I don’t want to be the stepping stone to be used. I just want to matter… And you know what? I deserve it.